Journal of Critical Reviews

ISSN- 2394-5125 Vol 7, Issue 9, 2020

SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF SHINASHA TRIALS IN NORTHWESTERN

1Abebe Ano Alula, 2Arjun Rao Kuthadi (Ph.D.)

1Ph.D. candidate in Department of History, College of Social Sciences and Art Osmania University, Hyderabad, India 2Professor of History ,Supervisor, Department of History, College of Social Sciences and Art Osmania University, Hyderabad, India

Received: 24.03.2020 Revised: 14.04.2020 Accepted: 22.05.2020

Abstract This article is primarily concerned to explore the social conditions of the Shinasha community in northwestern Ethiopia. Shinasha is some of the Indigenous groups with Ca. 60,587 population in Ethiopia, Africa continent, who are living Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, near the Sudanese borderland. They have different social practices that distinguish them from others. They were part of the historical Gonga people who once lived on edges of the River Abay. Where were the early places of settlement of the Shinasha? What were the Social conditions, social changes and continuity in the Shinasha community? I address these questions by historically juxtaposing with social conditions and its dynamics with my interviews with the key informants and observations of changes in conditions of the Shinasha. This study highlights the geographic and background of the study area. The study tries to focus on the early settlement of the Shinasha and their conquest under imperial rule. It attempted to analyze the social organization of the Shinasha society. The significance of the paper is contributed to the understanding of the Social conditions and social changes and continuity of the Shinasha community in the historical outline. The social history of the Shinasha is the least studied themes in Ethiopian historiography. A profound historical reconstruction of Shinasha social conditions may show a comprehensive and objective experience of the people of northwestern Ethiopia. The study is also reduced confusion and misinterpretations of the experiences of the Shinasha community. The method used contains the interviewing key informants to support the existing sources. Their witnesses were cautiously crosschecked and analysed through qualitative methods.

Keywords: Shinasha, Social Conditions, early settlement, Social change, Benishangul Gumuz Region.

© 2020 by Advance Scientific Research. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.09.108

INTRODUCTION the Omotic language speaking people originated their name Background of the Study area from their place on both sides of the Omo River positioned The main focus of this article is to deal with social conditions of entirely in south-western and northwestern Ethiopia (Bahru the Shinasha tribe in northwestern Ethiopia. The Shinasha is Zewde, 2002, P.1). some of the marginal ethnic groups with Ca. 60,587 population in Ethiopia (C.S.A., 2007, 73) and their language family belongs to Ethiopia is a multicultural country with enormous multiplicity the Gonga language speaking ethnic groups like Kafa, Sheka, and to be found in the East Africa. The country has about Bosha and Anfillo in southwestern parts of Ethiopia. Their eighty-five ethnolinguistic groups. As has been mentioned language is one of the recorded antique linguistic groups in earlier, the languages spoken in the country are divided into northwestern Ethiopia. Recently, the people live mostly in the four linguistic families, Omotic, Semitic, Cushitic and Nilo- Administrative zone of Metekel, as well as various parts of Saharan (Abebe, 2010, P. 2). the country especially in western and northeastern Wollega and in some localities of the former province of and In the northwestern portion of Ethiopia, in present State of (Abebe Ano, 2010, P.2). However; most of them were already Benishangul-Gumuz region, there are other ethnic groups such as assimilated by the local people. Shinasha, Gumuz, Berta, Mao, and Komo are considered as indigenous ethnic groups to the region (BGRSRC, 2002). To Ethiopia is a combination of nations, nationalities and people understand, the social characteristics of the Shinasha community communicate a variety of vernaculars, faiths and traditional and its dynamics in the region, it is important to highlight the practices. With regarding language, Linguists have divided historical and geographic settings of the area. these languages of the people into four languages, three of them finding a common ancestry to a parent language called Northwestern Ethiopia, State of Benishangul Gumuz region, is the Proto-Afro-Asiatic (Africa Facts, 2018). It is this language is research area located on the Ethio-Sudanese boundary and in spoken in Ethiopia but also other languages, spoken in the which the mainstream of the Shinasha established there for northern half of Africa and southwestern Asia (Ibid). Epochs. Thus, the State is some of the nine Federal situated in portions of the nation. It shares boundaries The main linguistic groups of the Proto-Afro-Asiatic family in the northern and northeastern with the , in the spoken in Ethiopia are known as Omotic, Cushitic and Semitic east with region, in the south, with the Gambella region super language families. From these languages, Omotic and and the west with the Republic of (Girma W/Mariam Abe, are the most ancient languages in the 2000, PP.1-20). We shall see below. Ethiopian region. The other group of languages goes to an independent language family known as Nilo-Saharan. The Nilo- Map of the Benishangul-Gumuz regional state showing the Saharans are situated in the western margins of Ethiopia while locations of the districts

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Source: https://www.google.com/

The history and physical uniqueness of the research area is a concern, the current State of Benishangul-Gumuz Region, was Research specific goals residence to numerous indigenous sets, demonstrating their The specific goals of the study are- exclusive culture and customs. The State was multi-dialectal. Shinasha, Berta, Gumuz, Mao, Komo languages were spoken in • To address early settlement patterns of the Shinasha tribe the region. But later other languages such as Amhara, Oromo, and Conquest under Imperial rule, and Agaw languages introduced to the region by the speakers at • To look at undergoing social conditions, social changes and various periods. The State has a amusing heritage, culture and continuity in the Shinasha community, history since antiquity. This civilization pleased condition is • To draw the attention of researchers to the study of reflected in the region's language, dialect, customs and culture, Ethiopian history from borders perspectives. These issues lifestyles, habits, choices and preferences, aspirations and so on. have not been treated well until recently. Therefore, an in- The knowledge and wisdom, innovation, human social, arts and depth study of these people, are generally important in cultural forms greatly developed and attained distinctive expanding our horizon of knowledge on the social history of character in the region for the centuries (Elders key informants the people in the region in general and Shinasha in interview results). particular. Generally, however, without the people’s aspirations, the Bela Shangul region and Metekel areas were made an integral part of Research Questions the administrative provinces of Ethiopia during the imperial To deal with this particular topic and other issues, we have the regime since 1898 A.D. It was annexed under Imperial rule following key research questions. through force i.e. military conquest. As a result, the People of the • Where were the early places of settlement of the Shinasha? Bela Shangul region had to wage so many struggles to achieve a • What were the Social conditions, social changes and self-rule State of Benishangul Gumuz region. Because of its continuity in the Shinasha community? geographic specificity, many people desired to have a separate State of Benishangul Gumuz region. However, it achieved since The Significance of the Study the 1990s became realistic. In the process, many people left their To this point, no contribution has been through to clarify the lives for the region and become scapegoats are in the State of social history of the Shinasha tribe during successive imperial Benishangul Gumuz region emerged as the ninth state of the rules and the military regime in Ethiopia. The consequences of Ethiopian Federation. The day of its emergence i.e. 1992 become these different regimes on the daily life of the people have not a red-letter day in the records of Benishangul Gumuz region been properly treated in the region. Besides these, the successive history (Ibid). regimes in Ethiopia also did not promote the writings of minority ethnic groups like Shinasha. A profound historical reconstruction As an essential part of the Federal state, the State of Benishangul of Shinasha social condition may show an objective experience of Gumuz region had always maintained its distinct character in the people of northwestern Ethiopia. Therefore, exploration of terms of social conditions. In the region, society was the social condition of the people under the study would fill in characterized as a multi-cultural society within all nations of some of the gaps and provide a true picture of the Shinasha Ethiopia. As a rich culture all heritage, region society was community. To conclude, this study would be made an endowed with diverse cultures, lifestyles, religions and ethnic outstanding contribution to modern Ethiopian history in overall groups. This social development had been more prevailed in the and the State of Benishangul-Gumuz region in specific. region since the 1990s due to a constitutional guarantee for social freedom (Tsega Endalew, 2002, p. 2). Political improvements in the country in the post-1990’s, no doubt that it has brought enlightenment, development, the spirit Research general goal of nationalism among the local people, contact other regions to The general research goal of the research is aimed at exploring become socially refined in every race and nation in the region. the social conditions of the Shinasha tribe in northwestern Yet it shakes the social system, dichotomy in the social structure Ethiopia.

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and moral bringing the heavy ring in the pressing situations in in Ethiopia in general and in the region in particular. Thus; the the study community. Shinasha is one among ethnic groups in northwestern Ethiopia, in the State of Benishangul-Gumuz region (Ibid). The study also provides major recommendations for preserving the social conditions and identifies prevailing social changes of Despite this fact, the early history and settlement patterns of the the minority ethnic groups in this border region of Ethiopia. In Shinasha is hidden with mystery because of various reasons. A the first case to avoid, discrimination based on social status and scholarly study shows that until recently, the presence of the ways of living, life, social organization and general level of Shinasha in Metekel was hardly known even too many developments in the State of Benishangul-Gumuz region. (Abebe, 2010, P.7).

Methods: Data Collection Instruments The above statement tells us little is known about the Shinasha The main tools that the investigator used for data collecting people, it's social, its history and culture. That means studies on purposes were questionnaires, interview and Focus group the Shinasha were virtually non-existent even for academic discussions. Besides, the study is based on primary and purposes. There were many reasons for this. First and foremost, secondary sources. The primary sources have been obtained the emergence of enlightened nationalists or historians and the from informants and personal observations which were collected promotion of Shinasha nationalism were late and slow in during a brief study tour of the State of Benishangul-Gumuz comparison to other ethnic groups in the region. Next, the Region from the end of July to September 2019. Thus; this study Ethiopian historical writing had no scope for the advance of resulted from qualitative approaches. Shinasha cultures and people. Not as good as, silent, it had bypassed and diluted facts construction and distribution of the Methodology of the Study latter. The amalgamation of these factors produced vagueness The data for this study were collected at Asosa, Gilgel Belese, about the past and uncertainty about contemporary , Bullen, , , and districts in the State developments among the Shinasha community. Finally, Shinasha of Benishangul-Gumuz Region. The data for this study were had no indigenous written language or script that the people collected through qualitative data collecting methods. The first- were not in a position to record their language until the recent hand records were gathered through inquiry form period. The subsequent lack of critical scholarship as Abebe Ano (Questionnaires), group discussions and interviews with elders noted: “there was no one scholar who had made a serious study of study areas. Although it was difficult to confidently receive of Shinasha history” (Tsega Endalew, 2006, P. 11). verbal evidence as impeccable, I wisely counter-checked with A lot has to be done to reverse this scenario and to revitalize the ancillary data available diverse bureaus in the State of Shinasha studies. Without pretending to offer a definitive source Benishangul-Gumuz Region. of knowledge about the subject, this effort constitutes the beginning of a multidisciplinary research agenda. Finally, The study area because of the above factors, most of the written accounts that The Benishangul Gumuz state is some of the Central states of we have on the Shinasha history are full of distortions, mislead, Ethiopia found in northwestern regions of the country. It and lack objectivity. For instance, some accounts of the travellers shares territorial borders in the northern and eastern Amhara did not show exact settlement of the Shinasha before the constituency, in the east with the state of Oromia, in the south 16thcentury A.D. Until recently, Shinasha in the northwestern with the Gambella region and the west with the State of Sudan region of Ethiopia hardly had known even too many Ethiopians (BGRSRC, 2002). (Abebe Ano, 2010, P.19). A few historical documents asserted that the Shinasha assumed the only survivors of the historical The People in the Study Area Gonga people in the north of the Abay River. It has been Five native ethnic groups are incarnate in the region. There are challenged to produce their early history thoroughly (Abebe Ano, Shinasha, Berta, Gumuz, Mao and Komo. Among these people, the 2010, 19). The Shinasha linguistically constitutes as some of the concern of this article is the Shinasha ethnic group. clusters of Gonga language speaking people of Ethiopia (Warner J., 1982, P.1). Sampling techniques The investigator castoff purposive sampling methods with the The Shinasha, like their equals in Ethiopia, has ridiculous topic of the study and sample areas where the majority of historical customs that remained basically unrecorded. It seems were living in the region. that a delinquent, which is being incredulous with the improvement of period and education. In the interim, Sampling Districts knowledgeable argument on Shinasha history is inevitable to In the state of the Benishangul-Gumuz region, there are three trust oral tradition and rituals, most of which remains a matter administrative Zones and one special District, that is to say, for further research. Written records are fairly recent , , and zone as well as Tongo phenomena. From scanty literature made available by internal Special Woreda consisting seven, five and one districts and expatriate scholars, different names had been used to respectively. In Metekel Administrative zone, Gilgel Belese, describe the Shinasha people. However, due to some historical Dangur (), Guba, Dibati, Bullen and Wenbera districts circumstances, the people were given various names, that they were selected for the majority of the reason for Shinasha reside were called by various names in various areas. The various there for centuries. In Asosa zone, Asosa town was selected for names included in various works of literature are the Gonga, the majority of the causes of Shinasha elites are resides in this Dangabo, Sinicho, Seenetyo, Simitchos, Sinetjo, Scinascia and Xinax town since the 1990s. (Harold Fleming, 1976, P. 352).

However, “Shinasha” is their most commonly used name. The DISCUSSION AND RESULTS term ‘Shinasha’…is the name of the people used by various The Shinasha People: Patterns of the Settlement and writers, mainly travellers [It]…is non-derogatory Conquest under Imperial Rule: An overview designation emerged from ‘shi na shi’ which means ‘thousands’ The State of Benishangul-Gumuz region is noted as the home of and ‘thousands’ [to show] the multitude of ‘Shinasha’ who fled to diverse ethnocultural groups, who thrived in pursuing more or and settled in the north of the Abay (Ibid. P. 2). less independent existence until the last decade of the 19thcentury A.D. These ethnic groups have different cultural, Moreover, the utmost extensively applied term to label the economic and social practices that diverse them from others. societies by the other groups of the country is Shinasha. In the Most of these people have their settlement territory and patterns

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traditions of the people, their proper name is Boro. As said by The presence of Shinasha around the Abay River and between spoken mores, Boro is supposed to be some of their ancestral Dabus and Diddessa Rivers and also their further extension to father and they would correspond to be called once him. These Wonbera is also stated in scholarly studies (Ibid. PP. 68-9). This informants argue that their original name is not Shinasha, seems to specify that Shinasha were primary settlers of these but Boro and still call themselves as Boro (Tsega Endalew, 2005, regions beforehand the development of the Oromo societies. PP. 1-12; see also Abebe, 2010, P. 7). Also, Oljira records that the Sinicho were the early natives of The Shinasha had their patterns of settlement territories in Horro-Guduru (Oljira Tujuba, 1994, P. 16). He also termed that different parts of Ethiopia. Concerning early settlement and they had made an unbendable confrontation to Oromo extension expansions, the Shinasha oral informants claim that their to the area. He also added that they were capable to lay a hostile ancestors occupied an extensive territory along the Sudanese and tough confrontation for the reason that they had a well-built border extending from Chara (low land around ); form of social group. They seem to have been comparatively full in the north around Gondar in the present-day State of Amhara; of people. In Horro-Guduru, the Shinasha establish in enormous Limmu; ; Jidda and Horro-Guduru in the Northeastern quantities in Amuru and Jidda constituencies in convinced areas Wollega to the Dhedheesa valley in the south of Wollega. They like Luquma, Washt, Wa’al, Jawaja and Horro of Jidda. In these have also traditions that describe that their areas extended to areas, the Shinasha exists nearby to the river Abay gorge (Ibid). Gojjam in the East and Durra River in Metekel, North of Abay The oral mores gathered by Oljira likewise piercing that some River. The ancient official papers exposed that the repeated Shinasha moved from Limmu and Jidda areas crossed the Abay invasions of rulers at various times and forceful population and stable in Metekel vicinity of Dangab area (Ibid). movement in the 16thcentury, the majority of Shinasha strapped to warm coastal regions of the Northwestern Ethiopia (Abebe Official Documents which refer to that in the 1570s and 1580s, Ano, 2010, P.7). the chief goal of King Sarsa Dengil was to rheostat numerous people like Shinasha, Oromo, Falasha, Agaw and in Furthermore, indigenous customs was collected by Abebe Ano Bagemidir, , Semen, , and Gojjam through the endorsed that their initial opening out and settlement; as they subjugation (EAE,1988). were forced the territories to predominantly Guba and Ethio- Sudanese borderlands in addition to many neighbourhoods of Conversely, the aforesaid fact showed the presence of the Wollega and Gojjam since antiquity (Tsega Endalew, 2006, PP. Shinasha in the northwestern portions of the country and their 21-22., and Abebe Ano, 2010, PP. 22-23). adaptation with the resident people. However, those Shinasha who were banished to Metekel region by ancient and medieval The existence of the Shinasha in regions of Wollega and as they Christian highland kings has upheld their cultural distinctiveness were correspondingly portions of Gonga kingdom inveterate and ethnicities intact. This attributed to various factors, among through diverse researchers and travellers, who labelled the this, the region is very remote from the centre and it was finally Shinasha/Sinicho as one and among the first residents annexed in the last decades of the 19thcentury A.D. accompanied by Gumuz, Gafat and the Damote societies of the Wollega earlier Oromo extension to the area (Abebe, 2010, PP. Ancient official papers stressed that the most important 22-23). governmental and demographic growths, which happened in the 16thcentury A.D. beside with the initial expansion of the kings on Despite the fact that the Shinasha of this area was before now the Shinasha, would have directed the mainstream of Shinasha to integrated by Oromo subsequent their settlement in the above settle down in diverse fragments of western and northwestern extents. As said by Harold Fleming, Shinasha were portions of the regions of Ethiopia. Today, the Shinasha occupied places in Gonga state in the past prior to the breakdown of the Gonga Metekel like , Gongo, Kuttan, Kurish, Dangab, Dibate, territory (Oljira Tujuba, 994, P.17). He specifies that a huge and Manbuk, Dorajala, Galasa, Wagdi, Gasangasa, Dangur, Guba, Gilgel influential empire of Gonga be existent before the 16thcentury Belese, Berber, Galassa, Wenbera and the surrounding and this domain stretched from southern Gojjam to the areas(Tsega Endalew, 1997, P.39).They are dispersal into southwestern hilltops. It deteriorated and fragmented in the different regions in Metekel, northwestern Ethiopia. 16thcentury as the result of the population movement of the era. Consequently, the Gonga Empire was divided into three groups By way of escaping from wars and military excursions from such as Southern Gonga, Central Gonga and Northern Gonga and different directions, the Shinasha who relocated into Metekel hence the southern Gonga detached from the northern Gonga to have kept their language and cultural mannerisms and nowadays which the Shinasha belonged (Harold Fleming, 1976, P. 351). they present a strong Shinasha identity. They suggest their origins on both sides of the Abay River to places such as Bure, Moreover, Father Antonio Fernandez-the Jesuit Missionary, who Gomar, Wambarma in Southern Gojjam and Dingias, Nafro and travelled from Gojjam across the Abay River from Wambarma to Wasti immediately to the south of the Abay in Wollega (Tsega Ennarya in 1613-14, also mentioned the Shinasha as part of the Endalew, 2006, P. 26). Gongas and undoubtedly described their existence on both sides of the Abay (Ibid. P. 351, and Abebe, 2010, P. 21). Most of them were, yet, integrated into the Amharic, Agawna and Oromiffa speaking groups (Ibid). As a result, they lost Shinasha This location is too explicitly signified in Almeida‘s diagram of character and personality in the areas. This was evidenced Ethiopia where the Shinasha are found on two margins of the according to different historical writings on the Shinasha River Abay. In the initial periods of the 17thcentury, clusters of community in the regions. Shinasha acknowledged as Gongas. This was more long- established by mid-19thcentury European voyagers who stayed Tsega Endalew has expressed that: and documented the reality of the diverse Gonga sets in the The Shinasha are an Omotic speaking group…living in northwest basins of the Abay (M.De Almeida, 1954, pp. 17 and 145-6). Ethiopia near the Sudanese border. They seem to have been a part of the historical Gonga population who once lived on both As stated by Antoine D. Abbaddie, who stayed southwestern sides of the (Abay) River. Due to the sixteenth-century portion of the country in the 1840s collected the descendants of population movements, a majority of Shinasha lost their ethnic the societies of the district and he enlightened most of the identity in northern Wollega and southern Gojjam. They were Shinasha/Sinicho lived in the Amuru and Jidda regions of Horro- submitted into the Amharic, Agaw and Oromo speaking groups. Gudru, and their remaining offspring were identified as However, a significant group of the Shinasha today live in “Waskato, Qitiso, Siddo, Ma’afo, Asisi, Dabino, Arnay and Jarabru”(Ibid).

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Metekkel region, northwest Ethiopia, with their ethnic identity the husband or father. He is taken intentionally or still intact (Tsega Endalew, 2005, PP.1-12). unintentionally recognized by society. Infants and children had been taken care of closely by the mother/s. The husband/father/ The initial link among the state-run and the many peripheral is the leader of the family. His old parents may also be living with people of the western borders could be originate back to the him. In the traditions of Shinasha, the eldest boy and his spouse th 6 century A.D. Territorial extension, the pull for the control of highly regarded and respected by their familial next to the father trade and trade routes and natural resources and warfare which and mother. The eldest son gets all the rights of inheritance and is as old as Ethiopia’s history, led to the reliance of the less is at liberty of sharing it or not with his other younger brother (s) powerful ethnic groups on the periphery of the state (Tsega (Elders Key informants interview results). Therefore, without a Endalew, 2006.P.35). doubt, the first social section is the family in Shinasha society. As seen above, a century of expeditions of the emperors Key informants and available documents in local areas show, ultimately leads to the full incorporation of the local structurally, a Shinasha family is the nuclear family in a sense communities. They were targets of the excursions. The abundant that members of the joint family break up when the oldest son natural resources of the western borders; particularly in gold entered into marital life and sets up a new home with the also seem to have brought the region into interactions with the assistance of the father, the youngest brother (s) and the state (Ibid. P. 35).Several campaigns were conducted against the families. The joint family practised rarely except where there is Shinasha society and Gumuz community by Christian kingdom an alternative, i.e. because of poverty, physical handicaps, etc. that pushed them further west. The looting of their properties (Ibid). and capture of their members for the slave trade accompanied these campaigns. Sometimes the Shinasha made counter-attacks To be truthful, the Shinasha family is purely patriarchal. The against the Agaw and Amhara invaders (Jira Mekuria 2000, P.4). father is a real patriarch with an absolute consultant over his On the other hand, the Shinasha people have their language, family. As such, he has certain duties, responsibilities, and which they called Borenona’a. Borenona’a means the Shinasha powers. In antiquity, the economy of the family mainly language spoken in most parts of the Northwestern and western depended upon how much he laboured. He must provide food, Ethiopia, in Metekel and Asosa zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz take care of, and maintain the situation of the family, laborious, region. Besides, they have distinct social conditions. However, intelligent brave. Well-expressed father or head of the family there were cultural assimilation and integration with others in is respected even outside families for his instruction and these the region. qualities may entitle him to an important position in the clan, village, and society. He is also the family priest and performs SOCIAL CONDITIONS AND ITS DYNAMICS his duties of praying and blessing during festivals and other From a historical point of view, when the northwestern region of ceremonies or rituals. This was a common practice within Ethiopia was disturbed by the activities of the imperial conquest Shinasha families. During this period, the head of the family in the last decades of the 19thcentury a new wave swept over the distributes among the different households of his, the meat of social life of the people of Shinasha and the region. Influence of the animal killed or sacrificed for his family during a special the new settlers or Christian highland state customs, manners ceremony. The father as the head occupies a principal starring and practices was witnessed in all most all spheres in role in the marriage of his sons and daughters with the northwestern Ethiopia, Metekel. The social condition of the assistance of his relatives and sometimes his clan. Apart from Metekel region almost resembled that of Christian highland these duties within the family, he also represents his family in settlers in some respect. However, in certain spheres, unique the clan meetings as he has fulfilled norms of the community features are witnessed in this region. As said by key informants (Ibid). social life of any society is a combination of many factors like habits and surroundings which break into through family, clan In ancient times, the Shinasha clans were mostly composed of and individuals (key informants interview results). different area members related by a descent along patrilineal. Accordingly, the sub-clan was becoming a symbol of identity The main communities in northwestern Ethiopia (Metekel) are for its members among the Shinasha society. However, as far the Shinasha and the Gumuz. These communities contributed as the social organization of Shinasha is concerned oral much to the development of the region in various spheres of informants state that clans lacked clearly defined territories. human activity in study areas. The Shinasha society has its Their locations were not limited to a single territorial area. It social practices that reflect their social and class was uncommon to find the same sub-clans that occupied two distinctiveness from other societies of Ethiopia. Shinasha or more discontinuous territorial areas. Due to this, villages represents a land shifting cultivators in the borderland of become centres of identifications (Ibid). northwestern Ethiopia. Since 1898 A.D, the Shinasha was normally incorporated part of the centralized Ethiopian Today, a Shinasha village is usually though not completely, Empire state. Until that period, they were self-governing composed of the people of the same clan and /or sub-clan who groups. They had organized themselves under local chieftains. claim a common patrilineal descent. Although in some places, Probably because of their self-defence from continuous the village identified with and belonged to these who claim expeditions of the Christian kings and pressure from organized different patrilineal descent. The clan organizations become ethnic groups. The other possible reason was their peripheral more evident at a village level where members who traced in geographic location; their culture and ability to manipulate their descent to common lineage lived. The pattern of culture sustained their traditional social organization until the residence at the village level the residence pattern could be conclusion of the 19thcentury (Abebe, 2010, P. 46). Therefore, considered patrilocal since genetic lineage members lived it seems that in many aspects, Shinasha has been a self- together during both pre and post-marital periods. It was autonomous conscious group having a feeling of being a among the inhabitants of the various adjacent villages that distinct socio-political community (Ibid). marriage relationships formed out of their clan. Of course, this does not mean those marriage relationships among the As far as social units of the Shinasha are concerned, traditions of inhabitants of discontinuous villages did not exist. The the Shinasha also assert that the family was the most important Shinasha society practised marriage on the bases of clan basic social foundation among the Shinasha society. These exogamy (Plazikowsky-Brauner, Herma, 1950, PP.29-41). include the husband (father), Mother (wife or wives), children Therefore; this shows that there is a social transformation and grandchildren, and their married and unmarried off springs among the social organizations of the Shinasha community. form the extended family. The head of the family in Shinasha is

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The Shinasha society had distinct genealogies since ancient were largely unexplored in the Ethiopian studies. Only recently periods. To trace the genealogy, the investigator is categories have some students of Shinasha history and culture highlighted the Shinasha tribe into two major clans and sub-clans. Because the importance of Shinasha culture. Shinasha takes moved out of that, there had been two major clans. These were through a period of rapid change in its recent history. the Gongo and Do’o. The Gongo clan had been the largest consisted of several sub-clans within it. For instance, the The year 1898 is a turning point in the relations of the Shinasha Gongo Shinasha clan was shared into two sub-clans. These with the central government in general and Gojjam governors. were the Endi and Ennoro. The Do’o, Endi, and Ennoro clans Since 1898, Social changes and political development occurred since the ancient period still today considered to be the among Shinasha in the region. This period was marked as the Shinasha ancestors and widely respected and recognized in beginning of the modern administration in the region. The society and played a significant role in resolving disputes or Shinasha were victims of the Ethiopian feudal system that conflicts. They are also responsible for performing traditional followed Menelik II’s (r.1889-1913) occupation of western and th blessings and leading various rituals and ceremonies within northwestern Ethiopia at the turn of the 20 century A.D through Shinasha society (Tsega Endalew, 2005, PP. 1-12; see also his agent, Negus Tekla Haymanot of the Gojjam. This was also Abebe, 2010, P. 40). continued during the reign of Emperor I (r. 1930- 1974) and Military rule from 1974 to 1991. They had been Furthermore in the traditions of Shinasha, however, those who imposed their social ways of life which were distinctive to the were belonged to the same clan members did not make Shinasha and including other local indigenous communities. This marriage relations with their clans. This was the main reason was due to the increment of internal immigration in the 1960s, for the division of the Shinasha into various clans and sub- 1970s and 1980s and their settlement from different parts of the clans in study areas. Therefore, the Shinasha maintained a country to the Shinasha areas had been introduced many new system of exogamous clan-based decent from the common social elements by assimilating some of Shinasha traditional ancestors. As a result, the man travels to other villages and social way of life. Social domination was one of the systematic establishing relationships and trading wives in the system of social deprivations which the Shinasha and other conquered sister-exchange in the past. However, this type of sister peoples endured in the study area. It seems that the true picture exchange marriage among the Shinasha was left and practised of the social life of the ancestors had been changed. Local elders other types such as bride marriage, abduction marriage, also argued that some of the religious practices of the Shinasha persuasion marriage, inheritance marriage, and Jiiya marriage. community became declined and changed. For instance, Shárá Until recent times, polygamy marriage is common among the practice is among them. Recently, the impact of modernization Shinasha society. They considered making marriage among the has both destructive and creative in society. It had been touched same Shinasha clan is taboo. In modern concept, it may result every aspect of Shinasha life, from the humble need of improving in the diffusion of heritable disorders within the relatively one’s appearance to the golden height of social and intellectual affiliated community. It is said to be because of these facts attainment, from the unassertive need of one’s immediate needs Shinasha divided into different clans and sub-clans for the sack to the difficulty of a feudal economic construction in the country of marriage relations since the ancient period. The Shinasha until 1974 and the aftermath(Elders Key informants interview family comes from Endogamy. This means that the tradition of results). marrying merely inside the parameters of the local community, clan, or tribe. This was a common cultural and A developing country like Ethiopia takes pride in having a very marriage practice among Shinasha since the ancient period. high standard of living for its nations. Shinasha had not yet to However, recently there are dynamics of marriage practices attain such a stand of society in a modern economic sense. observing in Shinasha. That means they permit an exogamous However, Shinasha is cultured in their way. It is no daydreaming marriage, as the convert, accepting the partner’s religion and primitiveness or economic and political backwardness as such, assimilated with other ethnic groups in the area. Even though but it is also true that modern civilization clashes with Shinasha as mentioned above wedding inside the identical clan is taboo way of life in many aspects. A few centuries ago, Shinasha society (Abebe, 2010, P. 40). They traditionally believed that the born could claim to be unique where there was no police prison, no child would be handicapped etc. gambling cave, no robbers, no thief, no liar, and no beggar, and no murder and practices among the Shinasha society. Social transformation might be precise as the development Nevertheless, this claim was longer holds good. It is partly which is a reasonably significant change in the structure and because they are hoping to alight of the so-called modern operation of a particular social system. It is a word used to civilization infested with cultural and thought pollution on the designate distinction of any characteristic of social Shinasha way of life. Their traditional characteristics had been developments, social arrangements, social dealings or social significantly pretentious by modern materialistic influences organization. Social changes are also differences from the (Ibid). Since 1898 A.D. the establishment of formal acknowledged manners of life, whether due to topographical administration in local areas of Shinasha society had grieved and circumstances, in cultural utensils, the structure of the people continued to feel pain still as the central government had failed and whether brought about by diffusion within the cluster. to recognize Shinasha social identity, language, religion, political Therefore, change is universal in human experience, what is rights and culture which is the best thing they possess the people today shall be different from what it would be tomorrow. felt that, the state and other organized ethnic groups had Never-ending change in society is natural and on-going imposed their authority upon them. Such developments were (Jeremy Greenwood, 2008, PP.1-70). continued until the year 1991. This is the case seen among the Shinasha community. As Historical sources revealed that true from the commencement of available pieces of the literature revealed that economic progress expansion of settlers in the region, the Shinasha had at their is basic to social change, ideas, inspirations, laws, politics, disposal various institutions and mechanisms of founding religion, and arts of the given society are generally affected by dealings with the settlers. The settlers gradually assimilated, economic changes. As a result, old features replaced and incorporated and subdued peoples into their society called the developed by new components from it. This seems a symbol of Luba basa (setting free) institution (Abebe Ano, 2012, PP. 101- evolvement. New social institutions and organizations became 107). It was this incorporation process or mechanism applied in emerged among society. These developments became Wenbera to the Shinasha community. The word Luba designates predominant in Shinasha community settlement areas and freed whereas basa means to make and thus Luba basa can be within Shinasha themselves. The Shinasha culture and history interpreted as to make free Therefore the Shinasha adopted and

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completely assimilated Oromo value, concepts, religion, the region. Thus, one can understand the possibility and language, and identity. They called themselves after the Oromo difficulty of assimilation of the new values in the context of the clan who adapted them (Ibid). Even today Shinasha became a old values. The Shinasha society is struggling to retain the old multilingual society in study areas. values, such as language, belief, tolerance, peaceful existence, collaboration with each other in social works and political They promised an oath to the Oromo not to overindulgence them tolerance which were the social values among the people and to break their Shinasha personality using numerous (Wodisha Habtie, 2010, P.33).These problems were seen in symbolic rituals. Likewise, the Shinasha in Wenbera district urban areas of the Shinasha settlement places and among elite adopted and completely assimilated Oromo value, concepts, groups in study areas. religion, language and identity. They called themselves often the Oromo clan who adopted them. They ceased to practice their CONCLUSIONS culture such as the funeral culture, Shárá, Mairao, spoken Only through studying social antiquity can we comprehension language, religion and the like. Despite of this fact, one should how events change between the Shinasha society; only through notes that the Shinasha of Wenbera did not yet fail to recall history can we instigate to understand the reasons that cause memories of their ethnic separation probably because of the change; and only through history can we know what elements of closeness of the time when they underwent through the an institution or social conditions of the Shinasha society persists institution (Ibid). despite the change. Shinasha is one of the ethnic groups, whose To the point the changes among the Shinasha, in some ways, majorities are living in northwestern Ethiopia. On the word of however, the last few three decades had witnessed the revival of the oral traditions of the Shinasha society, the Shinasha is one Shinasha social and cultural aspects, especially after the 1990s among the early natives of the region. The people have their (Abebe, 2010, P.18). For instance, except for a few modern girls, language, which they called bore nona ’a. nearly all the women retain much of their hand-woven dress in Customs also asserts that the family was the utmost significant most of the rural areas. Even the youth Shinasha are showed a and basic social foundation among the Shinasha society. The new interest in their cultural dances and exercised on different husband, wife (wives), children and grandchildren form the social occasions. They want to build up their literature in their extended family. The owner of the family is the husband. Infants language, to learn in schools and to record their old stories; they and children have been taken care of closely by the mother. are developing a sense of history and identity in the region. They are beginning to feel that there is less conflict between yesterday In the , the experience of the Shinasha tribe and tomorrow than they had once feared. Their innate beauty, reveals that they were socially despised, discriminated and charity, and their self-reliance would probably maintain the marginalized by relatively organized neighbouring ethnic groups tradition of wearing and other arts. And the old life on the and highland states as the result they were forced to confine to remote lowlands of the areas, which was a good life, would malaria-infected lowland areas of western and northwestern continue stories and ideas of the countryside would be survived, Ethiopia with no access to education and modernity. The but with motives and new direction became predominant among marginalization of the indigenous people like Shinasha in the the Shinasha community (Elders Key informants interview region was a characteristic of the region for the centuries. This results). was evident almost all of the administrative posts in Metekel were filled by the highlanders, particularly during the period The Shinasha social unity is firmly rooted and it works 1898 to1991 from the viewpoint of Center-periphery relation in magnificently even today. The strength of its character lies in the the historical perspective. fact that the Shinasha social movement and the growth of political consciousness had its root in the Shinasha settlement The social life of the Shinasha people hold a mirror up to the areas post-1990. It has gone very deep perhaps deeper than society and picture of the same can be had by a study of food and many people would care to realize today the Shinasha have to drink, social relations, dress and ornaments, sports and pastimes, think not only in terms of political issues but in terms of a greater means of income and livelihoods etc. However, the Shinasha Shinasha as a nation and Shinasha family as a whole (Ibid). assimilated by neighbouring nationalities in the areas of their settlement. They adopted concepts, religion, language and However, they have hard feelings about being excluded and lost identity. For instance, in Wenbera and elsewhere in Gojjam and Shinasha identity completely because of the disobedient ways of Wollega, Shinasha called themselves after the clans who adopted a society that is fastened to resist the downpour of new social them. Yet, one can easily notice its effect. For instance, not almost and political culture unless the Shinasha people do some serious all of them can speak the Shinasha language. They ceased to rethinking. Moreover, recently they challenged being practice of the Shinasha culture and religious such as funeral marginalized from the regional state and especially being unable ceremony, Shárá, Mairao etc. They speak , to employee state job opportunities. worship, Waqa and practice largely Oromo culture. We can say The process of assimilation for which Shinasha has to mean loose the Shinasha community adopted value, concepts, religion, has been at work for about half a century now. The result linguistic and character of their fellow citizen. However, one appeared to be a mixture of worthy and ruthless remarkable as should notice that the Shinasha of these areas did not yet forget well as shocking. Some people have realized the danger and memories of their ethnic separation until recently. destructive nature of assimilation and modernization in their In this period, Ethiopian state without the involvement of the culture. My key informants argued that Shinasha is a community local people or with no regard for their social conditions imposed that drives surely moves with the times but they have to its various policies. Their language, culture, and history were safeguard the history, glory, the magnificence and the idealistic deprived of proper respect and recognition. Therefore, local past that was the actual Shinasha of their for fathers(Ibid). governors should try to concentrate balanced services to ethnic Moreover, according to local elders in study areas, the problem minorities including access to rural roads, peace and security, had faced the Shinasha was the assimilation of the new social clinics, schools, water supply, electricity, and lack of other value so that society can march forward to social equality, social infrastructures. Scholarly studies must also be undertaken to justice and improvement in the standard of living. Many of the write down the problems of peripheral people in understanding old values were vital and active in rural Shinasha communities. and appealing to the international community for various help in Many of the new values are also vital and immense significance that part of the country. Hence, I suggest the need for a further to the development of the individuals well as the whole society in in-depth study on the matter in study areas.

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Acknowledgement 17. Tsega Endalew (2006). “Inter-Ethnic Relations on a Frontier While I am claim full responsibility for the views presented Metekel (Ethiopia) 1898-1991,” Wiesbaden: Harrasso here, I would like to thank informants for helping me providing Witzaverlag. information/data/sources. I am very grateful for their lofty 18. Tessema Ta’a (1980). “The Oromo of Wollega: A Historical contributions. Thanks to all for the moral support! Survey to 1910,” M.A.Thesis, Department of History, University School of Graduate Studies, Addis Ababa. Declaration of conflicting Interests. 19. Tsega Endalew (1997). “The Oromo of Wenbera: A The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with Historical Survey to 1941,” M.A. Thesis in History, Addis respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this Ababa University School of Graduate Studies, Addis Ababa. article. 20. ______. (2005 HAAP 3). “Christian Influences on Shinasha Oral Traditions” https://www.google.com/ date 10 May Funding 2018. The author(s) received no financial support for the authorship, 21. Wodisha Habtie (2010). “Nema,” Traditional Conflict and/or publication of this article. Resolution Mechanism of the Boro-Shinasha People,” MA thesis, Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies, Ethical issues and notes and Institute for Peace and Security Studies, Addis Ababa. ❖ The researcher kept the confidentiality of the selected key informant’s names in most illustrations as per the interest of the informants of the research who prefer to stay confidential. Accordingly, Key informants interview results (age 60 and 58) conducted at Asosa on 15 July and (age 55 and 52) at Asosa on 18 July 2019.

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